The United Arab Emirates has once again secured the top global position for entrepreneurship, marking its fifth consecutive year at No.1 in the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) 2025/2026 report, underlining the country’s growing stature as the world’s most conducive environment for starting and scaling businesses.
The latest rankings place the UAE ahead of several advanced economies, with strong performance across a wide set of indicators that define the strength and depth of an entrepreneurial ecosystem. The country ranked first among high-income economies in areas such as physical infrastructure, government policy support, taxation frameworks, entrepreneurship programs, and ease of market entry, both from a regulatory and an operational standpoint.
The report also highlights the UAE’s strength in financial accessibility, ranking second globally for entrepreneurial finance and ease of access to funding. This reflects the maturity of the country’s financial system and its ability to provide flexible and diverse funding avenues for startups and small businesses.
A key differentiator for the UAE is its consistency across all pillars of entrepreneurship. It is among only four countries globally to meet or exceed the “sufficiency” threshold across all framework conditions measured in the index, reinforcing the structural strength of its ecosystem, supported by advanced infrastructure, policy coherence, and digital readiness.
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, Minister of Economy and Tourism, said, “ranking first globally reflects the country’s commitment to strengthening its entrepreneurship ecosystem and cementing its position as the most supportive economy for entrepreneurs and the top destination for establishing businesses.”
He added that the achievement is closely linked to the UAE leadership’s long-term vision of building a competitive, knowledge-based economy in which entrepreneurship and SMEs play a central role. The resilience of the UAE economy and its ability to adapt to global and regional shifts have further strengthened its position, he noted.
The results are also aligned with broader national strategies, including the “We the UAE 2031” vision, which aims to position the country as a global hub for the new economy by focusing on sectors such as artificial intelligence, renewable energy, space, and financial technology.
The UAE’s entrepreneurial environment scored 7.0 on the National Entrepreneurship Context Index (NECI), reflecting strong confidence among investors and business owners in the overall ecosystem.
The report underscores the growing role of technology in shaping the country’s startup landscape. The UAE is among a select group of countries where entrepreneurs widely recognize the importance of artificial intelligence in the near term, signaling readiness to transition toward a digitally driven, innovation-led economy.
In parallel, the country has achieved “excellent” ratings in both sustainability priorities and AI awareness, placing it alongside leading innovation-driven economies such as Taiwan, Norway, and Sweden.
The UAE’s openness to global markets has also contributed to its strong showing. It ranks among the top five countries worldwide for international market access, supported by advanced logistics and connectivity infrastructure that enables startups to scale beyond domestic boundaries.
Entrepreneurial activity levels remain robust. More than one in five adults in the UAE are engaged in starting new businesses, while the Total Early-stage Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) rate stands at 19.2 percent, indicating a strong and sustained pipeline of new ventures.
The ecosystem’s inclusivity is also notable. Entrepreneurial activity has reached 19.6 percent among citizens and 22.4 percent among residents, reflecting the UAE’s continued ability to attract global talent and foster participation across diverse segments of society.
Female entrepreneurship is gaining traction as well, supported by access to funding, mentorship, and an enabling policy environment that encourages wider participation in business creation.
Education and cultural factors are further reinforcing this momentum. The UAE ranks among the top five globally in entrepreneurship education at the school level, with a strong focus on developing students’ critical thinking, innovation, and risk-taking capabilities.
The report also highlights the diversity of funding sources available to entrepreneurs, ranging from government-backed initiatives to private investment funds and venture capital, which together provide a robust financial backbone for business creation and expansion.
With a dynamic mix of policy support, financial accessibility, and forward-looking innovation strategies, the UAE continues to reinforce its position as a global leader in entrepreneurship, setting the pace for how modern startup ecosystems are built and sustained.
With inputs from WAM
